Monday, September 15, 2008

Friday night I fell down on a moonlit beach. I was helped up by my good friend Candi and a woman I’d met about five minutes earlier. Oh yeah, and we were all completely naked.

I was in Saint Augustine for a wedding, and towards the end of the night somehow ended up nude in the ocean laughing in a circle of other women. It was all very…sisters of the moon.

It felt great though. It was one of those moments in life where I was in awe of the universe and all its glory. The full moon shining down on a vast sea. The sand stretching back to dunes of sea oats. The warm rolling waves keeping my boobs afloat.

Danny was sick at home and when I called to tell him about my naked adventure, he was shocked. “What? You? In the ocean? At night?!”

It’s true that the nakedness is not really that shocking. But I don’t really do large bodies of water. Especially bodies of water that move around a lot and house creatures with sharp teeth and tentacles.

Sure, I’ll wade in to cool off if I get too hot on the beach. I’ll even get on a boat as long as it’s bigger than the jaws of a great white shark. But going in deep enough to cover all my goods, especially at night when menacing dorsal fins can’t be seen, is usually out of the question. I’ve seen all the Jaws movies, read Old Man and the Sea, and listened to all my grandma’s terrifying warnings about the “rip tide.” That’s enough to keep me off the coast most of the year.

But at Friday’s party, goaded by spirits and drunk on the vibrant love that permeated every shrimp and corn cake in the low country boil, I was able to jump into the waves of the Atlantic and enjoy the night with my moon sisters.

The next night we set sail down the intercoastal. We listened and cried as our friends exchanged vows of love, resplendent with joy. I toasted their future adventures together and returned home the next day inspired and ready to soak up the beauty of the world around me. Probably with my clothes on, but you never know. Sometimes shit gets crazy.

At least you didn't have to worry about sunblock. Congratulations on your fearless and strapless adventure! You are living life about as fully as it can possibly be lived if your blogs are any indication. Good for you!

It's funny how swimming in the totally dark, creepy water can make you in tune with nature...but think of this...how many shark attacks have you heard of that happen at night? Not too many, probably none at all. They are way too busy eating other things stranded in the middle of the ocean. So swim free and fearlessly! Night time is the best time because you can truly appreciate the ocean what it truly is, a mystery.

*Hint: Full Moons usually provide the best tides and are usually the best time to get in the water at night. Not sure what it is, but you are overcome with this spiritual cleanliness...or maybe it was the second hand smoke from the pot smoking hippies at the full moon parties at the beach. Either way swimming in the dark is fun! Enjoy!